Michigan has some young playmakers on the team. A.J. Henning is lightning fast, Roman Wilson is also speedy with great athletic ability, true freshman QB J.J. McCarthy has been as advertised.
Players such as those are just scratching the surface of their potential, and more time on task will help them turn their raw talent into well-rounded and reliable production.
Wilson, for example, led Michigan in receiving with 6 receptions for 81 yards, including a really great contested catch.
Michigan WR Roman Wilson made a phenomenal catch
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 2, 2021
Here is the video via @CFBONFOX pic.twitter.com/MZb84Mzv0n
Speaking to the media after Michigan’s 38-17 win against Wisconsin, head coach Jim Harbaugh made a super hero reference and comparison about the young playmakers on the squad.
“I don’t know how much you can tell just by looking at somebody’s eyes but the demeanor and—he’s catching the ball. Getting open, catching the ball and blocking,” Harbaugh said about Wilson. “His blocking has improved so much. He’s grown leaps and bounds. As A.J. Henning has. There’s a lot of our players. It’s a pretty young team — it’s almost like in some of those X-Men movies where the little kid or the teenage X-Men finds their power. Now they know they have it and they’re using it. That’s really exciting to watch as a coach.”
X-Men, to those not in the know, are a team of superheroes who were born with special mutant powers, making them different from regular humans. Major characters include Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, The Beast, and more.
Michigan has targeted speedier and shiftier players in recent years with the skills of Henning, Wilson, running back Blake Corum — players with game-changing skills if they reach their potential. Harbaugh’s X-Men comparison isn’t all that far off when you look at the progress these players have made since the season began. Michigan’s offense has enough weapons, X-Men with different skills if you will, to compete with top-tier teams in college football.
We’ll see what powers the young players showcase in the weeks to come. For now, Michigan is 5-0 heading into Nebraska next Saturday.